Six water suppliers in one city
Whittier is unusual because no single company supplies the whole city. Depending on your street, your water may come from City of Whittier Water, Suburban Water Systems, San Gabriel Valley Water Company, Orchard Dale Water District, Golden State Water or Cal Domestic.
That matters when something goes wrong. If the valve at your meter needs to be shut, if you want a leak adjustment on your bill, or if you’re asking about water quality, you need the right company. Your bill names it, and the city also publishes a service area map by address.
The sewer lateral is yours
Under the Whittier Municipal Code, house sewers and their fittings are maintained by the owner of the property they serve. The city looks after the public main in the street, but the lateral that runs from your house to that main is your responsibility.
The city’s lateral repair procedure also sets the order of work. Before it issues a permit, the city asks for a sewer lateral inspection video with distance measurements shown on screen. So in Whittier, a proper camera inspection comes first, and the video becomes part of the permit file.
Permits for common jobs
Whittier requires a permit to replace a water heater, along with a CF-1R-ALT energy compliance form. A heater in the garage or an outdoor enclosure also needs a plot or floor plan approved by the Planning Division. Moving or adding plumbing fixtures, such as a toilet, sink, tub or dishwasher, needs a plumbing permit too.
The Community Development counter is open Monday to Thursday from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. A licensed plumber will normally handle the paperwork, but it’s worth asking who pulls the permit before you sign a quote.
What older Whittier homes need most
A large share of Whittier’s housing was built before 1960. Many of those homes still carry galvanized steel supply lines that have been rusting from the inside for decades, which is why brown water and falling pressure are such common complaints. The long-term fix is usually a repipe in PEX or copper.
The post-war tracts built on concrete slabs add a different problem. Copper lines laid through the slab can develop pinhole leaks, which show up as warm floors, damp carpet or rising bills.
Then there’s the rainy season. From December to March, storms push water into old cast iron and clay laterals and yard drains, and backups follow.
Before you call
Have a rough idea of your home’s age, find your main shutoff and your sewer cleanout if you can, and note which fixtures are affected. That’s all a plumber needs to start, and you don’t need to know the cause.